Support

A cookie is a piece of data stored by your browser or device that helps websites like this one recognize return visitors. We use cookies to give you the best experience on BNA.com. Some cookies are also necessary for the technical operation of our website. If you continue browsing, you agree to this site’s use of cookies.

Nearly any experience or product can receive an online review these days, and employers
are finding they are no exception. But when a company review comes in, who should
respond and what should they say?

Human resources departments or employer branding teams most commonly should be monitoring
reviews on various job websites, Jonna Sjövall, managing director of the Americas
for global employer branding firm Universum, told Bloomberg BNA Sept 18. However,
executives from the business department that’s specifically cited in a review should
also be involved, she said, because reviewers tend to prefer responses from executives
than those from HR.

HR still must help with drafting the response, however, because it’s the department
best trained to be tactful, concise, and appropriate, Sjövall said. In an ideal world,
HR or employer branding will flag the review for response, draft a reply, and then
get input from the mentioned business unit and have that unit do the posting, she
said.

The biggest mistake an employer can make is leaving a review unanswered, Scott Dobroski,
community expert for jobs website Glassdoor, told Bloomberg BNA Sept. 14. “No one
expects perfection, but they do expect feedback today. Remaining silent is no longer
the norm,” he said. In fact, for many job seekers, the response to the review is more
important than the positive or negative content of the review, Dobroski said.

According to Glassdoor research, 87 percent of the site’s users find the employer
perspective useful when learning about jobs and companies, Dobroski said.

Crafting the Right Response

Responses to company reviews should be authentic, not full of corporate-speak and
business jargon, Dobroski said. “The response should also be a realistic representation
of the culture and values the organization holds,” he added. “Transparency can actually
help you recruit other employees.”

Dobroski also recommended that HR ensure review responses are posted consistently
so job seekers researching the company see “constant and frequent” communication to
both positive and negative reviews. Negative reviews may initially induce panic, but
they “definitely won’t break a company,” Dobroski said. The average Glassdoor user
typically reads six or seven reviews before forming an opinion, he said.

The most important part of a response is making the reviewer feel heard, Adrienne
Weissman, chief marketing and customer officer for online review platform provider
G2 Crowd, told Bloomberg BNA Sept. 14. The employer should always find a way to accept
the feedback in a constructive way, whether the review is positive, negative, or neutral,
she said.

Company messages should also include a description of any actions taken in response
to the review, Weissman said. If the review is completely negative, employers should
try to respond in a way that shows the business is taking the criticism seriously,
and, if needed, find a way to move the conversation into a more private forum, she
said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Genevieve Douglas in Washington at
gdouglas@bna.com

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Tony Harris at
tharris@bna.com

All Bloomberg BNA treatises are available on standing order, which ensures you will always receive the most current edition of the book or supplement of the title you have ordered from Bloomberg BNA’s book division. As soon as a new supplement or edition is published (usually annually) for a title you’ve previously purchased and requested to be placed on standing order, we’ll ship it to you to review for 30 days without any obligation. During this period, you can either (a) honor the invoice and receive a 5% discount (in addition to any other discounts you may qualify for) off the then-current price of the update, plus shipping and handling or (b) return the book(s), in which case, your invoice will be cancelled upon receipt of the book(s). Call us for a prepaid UPS label for your return. It’s as simple and easy as that. Most importantly, standing orders mean you will never have to worry about the timeliness of the information you’re relying on. And, you may discontinue standing orders at any time by contacting us at 1.800.960.1220 or by sending an email to books@bna.com.

Put me on standing order at a 5% discount off list price of all future updates, in addition to any other discounts I may quality for. (Returnable within 30 days.)

Notify me when updates are available (No standing order will be created).

This Bloomberg BNA report is available on standing order, which ensures you will all receive the latest edition. This report is updated annually and we will send you the latest edition once it has been published. By signing up for standing order you will never have to worry about the timeliness of the information you need. And, you may discontinue standing orders at any time by contacting us at 1.800.372.1033, option 5, or by sending us an email to research@bna.com.

Put me on standing order

Notify me when new releases are available (no standing order will be created)